Communicable diseases are capable of being transmitted from one person to another, or, in some cases, from one species to another. Through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), state and territory health authorities submit reports of 65 communicable disease notifications for compilation by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA).

There were 203,189 notifications to NNDSS in 2010, a decrease of 14% on the 236,696 notifications made in 2009 (table 11.17). The peak in notifications in 2009 was largely due to cases of influenza A (H1N1). In 2010, sexually transmittable infections (STI) were the most commonly reported communicable diseases, accounting for 43% of all notifications. This was followed by vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) (30%) and gastrointestinal diseases (16%).

Chlamydia was the most common STI with 74,305 notifications (86% of total STIs). Pertussis (whooping cough) was the most common VPD with 34,793 notifications (56% of total VPDs). Campylobacteriosis was the most common gastroenteritis, with 16,966 notifications (54% of total gastrointestinal diseases).

In collaboration with jurisdictional health authorities and the Australian Government, surveillance for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is conducted by the Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society (formerly the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research). The Kirby Institute is directly affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales, and receives funding through the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA).

At 31 December 2010, 30,486 cases of HIV infection had been diagnosed in Australia, and an estimated 21,391 people were living with a diagnosed HIV infection. The number of new HIV diagnoses in Australia in 2010 was 1,043. The annual number of new HIV diagnoses has remained relatively stable at around 1,000 since 2006 (table 11.18).

11.18 NEWLY DIAGNOSED HIV CASES(a)(b)—2006–2010

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Total(c)

HIV cases(a)

1 009

1 051

1 012

1 062

1 043

30 486

(a) Not adjusted for multiple reporting. Cumulative to 31 December 2010.

(b) The number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses for each year may be revised over time due to late reports, updated information on exposure and testing history for reported cases, and removal of previously unrecognised duplicate diagnoses.

Transmission of HIV in Australia continues to be mainly through sexual contact between men (67% in 2010), with the rate of exposure through heterosexual contact being 28% in 2010 (table 11.19).

11.19 CHARACTERISTICS OF CASES OF NEWLY DIAGNOSED HIV INFECTION, By year of diagnoses(a), Number and distribution of cases

Units

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Total(b)

Total cases

no.

913

965

1 009

1 051

1 012

1 062

1 043

30 486

Males

%

86.0

90.2

85.2

86.8

86.0

86.3

85.5

90.9

State or territory

New South Wales

%

45.3

42.2

39.0

39.6

36.3

35.7

33.7

52.9

Victoria

%

23.5

26.6

28.3

27.1

28.2

27.3

26.8

22.3

Queensland

%

17.1

17.6

16.4

18.7

19.8

19.7

23.2

12.6

South Australia

%

5.9

5.3

6.0

5.3

4.6

5.0

3.9

5.2

Western Australia

%

5.5

6.6

7.8

7.3

8.1

8.4

9.7

7.5

Tasmania

%

1.0

0.6

0.7

0.7

1.3

1.3

1.0

0.8

Northern Territory

%

0.9

0.3

1.1

0.6

1.1

1.5

0.6

0.9

Australian Capital Territory

%

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.9

0.7

1.1

1.2

0.9

Exposure category(c)

Male homosexual contact

%

67.4

72.1

67.5

68.2

65.7

64.6

67.0

74.1

Male homosexual contact and injecting drug use

%

4.1

4.5

3.9

2.8

3.3

3.5

2.3

4.2

Injecting drug use(d)

%

4.4

3.4

2.8

2.8

3.2

2.3

2.4

3.8

Heterosexual contact

%

23.8

19.3

25.2

25.1

27.0

28.4

27.7

14.5

Haemophilia/coagulation disorder

%

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1.1

Receipt of blood/tissue

%

—

0.1

—

—

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.9

Mother with/at risk of HIV infection

%

0.1

0.6

0.6

0.9

0.6

1.1

0.6

0.4

Health care setting

%

0.2

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Other/undetermined

%

7.4

9.2

6.8

6.5

4.4

5.7

7.4

14.7

— nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)(a) The number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses for each year may be revised over time due to late reports, updated information on exposure and testing history for reported cases, and removal of previously unrecognised duplicate diagnoses.(b) Includes all reported cases prior to 2004. Not adjusted for multiple reporting.(c) The ‘Other/undetermined’ category was excluded from the calculation of the percentage of cases attributed to each HIV exposure category.(d) Excludes males who also reported a history of homosexual/bisexual contact.

Immunisation programs for children are recognised as an effective public health intervention and have been responsible for eradicating or minimising serious infectious diseases such as measles, diphtheria and polio in Australia.

The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR), which commenced operation on 1 January 1996, aims to provide accurate and comprehensive information about immunisation coverage for all children under the age of seven. The ACIR is administered by Medicare Australia and is a key component of initiatives to improve the immunisation status of Australian children.

Immunisation coverage goals for Australia for the year 2000, recommended by the NHMRC, called for 90% or more coverage of children at two years of age, and near universal coverage of children at school-entry age, against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella and Hib (Haemophilus influenza type b).

From 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011, an estimated 91% of one-year olds, 93% of two-year olds and 89% of five-year olds were fully-immunisedas recorded in ACIR.

Statistics contained in the Year Book are the most recent available at the time of preparation. In many cases, the ABS website and the websites of other organisations provide access to more recent data. Each Year Book table or graph and the bibliography at the end of each chapter provides hyperlinks to the most up to date data release where available.